Chester county students finalists in WHYY contest

In spring 2011 850 students entered WHYY’s WHYY I like This Book contest, and from Chester County Robert Bruhns and Gabrielle Kirsch – of Great Valley Middle School – and Andrew Carranti and Gracelyn Andes – of Schuylkill Elementary -- were among the 22 students selected as finalists.

“How is this kid really hooked into the book and how were they able to express that?” said Jennifer Wheeler, project manager of the contest, about what WHYY looks for in the entries.

Over the summer, the 22 students were brought into meet the WHYY production team, and from there nine students were chosen to do a television spot – including Robert and Andrew. The one-minute spots will air throughout the year and are posted on WHYY’s website.

When choosing these students WHYY looked for the students that could handle being on camera and who had a story, or special connection, with the book.

“From our standpoint, is there a story that we can tell that is going to be compelling?” said Wheeler.

Robert, of East Whiteland, is an eighth-grader at the Woodlynde School but was at Great Valley Middle school when he entered the contest. He chose “The Story of the Philadelphia 76ers” by Sara Gilbert because of his love of the sport and the team.

“It was an amusing book because it had different sections on different players and it talked about the Sixers from the beginning,” he said. “I just love to watch the Sixers, I love to play basketball. I just thought it was an outstanding book.”

Since much of Robert’s story was about his love for basketball, WHYY came to his house to film Robert and some friends playing the game.

“We just got a ton of kids just shooting hoops. And it was just really fun,” said Robert.

Andrew, of Schuylkill, is in fourth grade at Schuylkill Elementary and chose “Angelo” by David Macaulay. It is a story about a plasterer, Angelo, who nurses an injured pigeon, Sylvia, back to health.

“And when she gets better she comes with him when he’s plastering. And she coos encouragement and on hot days she brings his handkerchief to a cold water fountain, wets it and brings it back,” said Andrew. “We read this and I liked it, and that’s what made me want to be an architect – this book.”

While the book has a sad ending, the relationship between Angelo and Sylvia is one that Andrew enjoyed reading about.

“(Angelo) is concerned about (Sylvia’s) long term well-being. He makes her a nest on the top of the church,” said Andrew. The nest is made of plaster, so that it will last after Angelo passes away.

While Robert and Andrew where chosen for the TV spot, WHYY considers all of the finalists winners, said Wheeler. There wasn’t enough money in the budget to film all 22 students.

Gracelyn, a third-grade student at Schuylkill Elementary, chose “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle because her grandmother used to read it to her every night before she passed away.

“It was really important for me to choose that book,” she said.

Gabrielle, now an eighth-grade student at Great Valley Middle School chose “Catching Jordan” by Miranda Kenneally.

“When I read it I didn’t want to put it down, and I was just so interested in what was going to happen next,” she said. “When I went to the interview it was exciting and I just wanted to talk about the book.”

All of the finalists were invited to the reception that was on Dec. 10 -- at which the students got their certificates and the one-minute TV spots aired for the first time.

“Nobody had seen them until that night – we make a big deal out of the fact that it’s the first time,” said Wheeler. “The kids really think it’s cool and fun.”

WHYY will start accepting entries on Feb. 1 for the fifth year of WHYY I like This Book. It started the program after “Reading Rainbow” stopped producing new episodes – a show that included testimonials from kids about their favorite book.

“No one can get a student excited about reading more than another student,” said Wheeler.